Chapter 310: Stop Talking Nonsense

《Fifty Shades of Grey》had a fierce opening week — everyone was watching out of curiosity, but in its second week the North America box office plunged 73%, suffering a waist-level cut.

North America only took 31.9 million, for a total of 130 million; the international market remained hot, with 136 million at the box office, totaling 276 million.

Total box office was 406 million, breaking 400 million in just two weeks.

But the North America drop was brutal, and other regions are also expected to see a huge drop in the third week.

No way around it — it's just too terrible to look at.

This movie is only really exciting at the very start; once you've seen it, you don't feel much of anything, just like after firing a shot — bland and tasteless.

Even so, it's still the North America box office champion and the global box office champion.

During this time slot, there aren't any big releases.

Actually, this kind of explosive early opening is also good for Fang Hong — it lets the funds be settled over quickly.

Based on current box office performance, the Zhong family will have at least 100 million USD in revenue.

But the profit is only a few tens of millions of USD, because the film's investment alone reached 40 million USD — the highest investment the Zhong family has ever put into a single film.

Although this movie is a huge hit, the circle hasn't linked it to Fang Hong, because there's no evidence showing what connection it has to him.

Even if people know it's connected to him, so what? What can they do?

In China they could still roast him and throw obstacles in his way, but in Hollywood these people simply can't reach him.

Anyway, it's pretty demoralizing — realizing the Principal has gotten stronger again.

《The Demons Strike Back》breaking 1.2 billion — so what, they're not even opponents on the same level.

Even a bad film can sell big internationally.

Anyway, the circle is pretty calm. Even Xiao Wang Zong isn't coming out to curse the Principal anymore, let alone anyone else saying anything about him.

They really have no idea what trump card the Principal is hiding.

Even the Jade Rabbit and the Zhong family cooperating to build the Digital Film and Television Base wasn't disclosed — the whole thing was kept very low-key.

That day, Yu Xian called Fang Hong.

"Lao Wang Zong called me, saying he's willing to give me money, let me produce big-budget films, and develop further," Yu Xian said.

"What did you say?" Fang Hong said, holding the phone.

"Of course I kept your instruction in mind — not accepting the investment," Yu Xian said.

"You didn't curse him out?" Fang Hong said.

"Holy crap, is that something you can curse about? The man's so old — I have to respect the elderly and care for the young, right!" Yu Xian raised his voice.

Fang Hong laughed a "haha," and didn't expose him — he figured Lao Wang Zong's aura was too strong, and Yu Xian had inexplicably shrunk a head in his presence.

That's normal — the man runs an enterprise on the scale of hundreds of billions, and that successful person's aura comes naturally.

"Fine, as long as you didn't say anything about me, don't reveal me. If he asks, just say I've already been kicked out by you," Fang Hong said.

"OK!" Yu Xian indicated he understood.

These years are the phase of Wanda Pictures' frantic expansion — year after year, first in market share, first in audience numbers, first in box office revenue. This isn't the time for conflicts to flare up.

Their expansion pace is much faster than Fang Hong's — not only domestically, but worldwide: buying North America theater chains or buying Ouzhou theater chains.

If not buying Ouzhou theater chains, then buying Australian theater chains.

Of course, overseas theater chains aren't as dominant as domestic ones, with that much say — otherwise people wouldn't let them sell. This falls under the cultural sphere, soft power.

Later facts proved this was a stinky move.

And Fang Hong's strategy is exactly the opposite of theirs — they do theater terminals first, then drive production.

The logic being: once I have the theaters, production is a given — that kind of model.

But Fang Hong has always focused on content — building a content ecosystem around long-form video, mid-form video, short-form video, games, and so on.

Forming a new media matrix centered on video.

In the future, getting news will be through video; life through video; learning through video; work through video. Video will replace text and become the new mainstream media format.

Fang Hong didn't pay attention to Wanda's affairs — he was still methodically developing his own career.

Without your own channels, you're always at others' mercy!

On March 1, Jade Rabbit will hold its big conference, and the entire company is doing preparatory work around it.

And before that, on the Lantern Festival — February 24 — the "Jin Tong Yu Nu" incident erupted again, and this eruption truly shocked the Wangyi's jaws to the floor.

"No way, no way!"???? "I cursed the wrong person, I'm guilty, I'm sorry!"

"."

Turns out the person they'd been cursing was the good guy, and the real bad guy was the one playing innocent.

This is a bit mind-bending — they really were spun around in circles by that innocent-acting person, which made the Wangyi furious; this is what you call a war of words.

The word "white lotus" was once again pinned onto someone's head — everyone can guess what surname this person has.

Chen Zhixi couldn't help herself again, and in her own Moments she started tearing into someone: "Bad character, moral corruption, looks like a white lotus, but actually a poisonous mushroom."

With her current status, tearing into someone is equivalent to cutting herself off from Jade Rabbit's resources.

These words were posted online, and that person didn't dare fart a single sound, could only take the abuse.

Fang Hong didn't intervene either — everyone has their own temper. The matter ends here, giving the Wangyi some melon to eat; as for that person's business, later it'll be lawsuits.

No one can control this — it's that person's family matter.

On the evening of the Lantern Festival, Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian arranged to go to the Ming Tombs to sightsee, to see the temple fair, and even brought along their respective mothers.

The place was already decked out in festive decorations — red banners fluttered high in the air, and rows upon rows of red lanterns lit up the night sky.

It was dazzling here, and very lively too.

These lanterns weren't candles but electric lights — if they were candles, fire safety would be a real headache.

The scene bustled with people coming and going; Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong's group stood by the roadside in the crowd, watching a vibrant dragon dance pass by them.

There were also deafening sounds of gongs and drums pounding like thunder.

"This dragon dance is truly beautiful," Liu Tianxian said, watching the long red dragon pass by.

She wore a baseball cap and a scarf wrapped around her face, leaving only a pair of curved, smiling eyes visible.

The weather was still very cold.

Liu Xiaoli hung her bag on one hand, fully bundled up, and smiled as she watched her child's delight: "It's really lively, isn't it?"

She was speaking to Xu Liyun.

"Yes, this is my first time seeing such a lively evening celebration," Xu Liyun replied.

She seemed somewhat reserved, mainly because Liu Xiaoli's demeanor resembled that of a noblewoman, overshadowing her.

"What? Didn't Xiao Fang ever take you before?" Liu Xiaoli sounded surprised.

"My son is busy; he rarely engages in such entertainment. I usually just stay home when I'm free," Xu Liyun explained.

"Oh."

Liu Xiaoli fell silent after a moment of thought.

She understood: she had mentioned many times before their family background—before Fang Hong rose to prominence, Xu Liyun had been working, and back then, she naturally had no interest in spectating.

After his rise, they came to Beijing, where they knew no one and nothing.

"Let's go over there and take a look," Fang Hong pointed to a nearby spot where someone was performing fire-spitting acrobatics.

Due to the overwhelming crowd, the four of them could only push forward shoulder to shoulder, until they reached a square beside an ancient building, where the onlookers formed a tight circle they could not penetrate.

Both mothers stretched their necks to peer, seeing only vague glimpses of the performance inside.

Liu Tianxian could not see inside either; everyone else had children perched on their parents' shoulders, and some were even lifted high to catch a better view.

She signaled Fang Hong: "Pick me up."

Fang Hong crouched down, about to lift her legs, then seemed to remember something: "Don't fart, okay?"

"Get lost!"

Liu Tianxian raised her foot to kick him, but only made the motion—she didn't actually kick.

They playfully wrestled a moment; Fang Hong then gripped her legs and hoisted her up at once—she was surprisingly heavy, his face level with her rear.

But she wore thick autumn pants and long trousers, so even if she did fart, he wouldn't feel a thing.

Liu Tianxian now had an excellent view: inside, a massive flame erupted from the acrobat's mouth, startling the crowd.

But most people clapped loudly—"Papapapa"—and Liu Tianxian joined in; it was quite beautiful and highly entertaining.

She glanced once more, then signaled Fang Hong to put her down, mainly worried he might tire.

(End of chapter)